Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spent $204,444 on March trip to UK, and Ireland

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spent $204,444 on her eight-day March trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland, according to documents obtained through a records request.

The eight-person travel group had Sunday High Tea at The Dorchester, a 5-star hotel in London, and spent, on average, more than $25,500 per day. It ate at Duck & Waffle, a restaurant on the 40th floor of a London building, and visited Parliament, say documents obtained from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Participants included:

• Whitmer
• Maria Martinez, deputy chief of staff
• Angel Boshea, executive assistant to the governor
• Quentin Messer Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
• Vlatko Tomic-Bobas, investment director, Europe, MEDC
• Katelyn Wilcox, chief of protocol, MEDC
• Tim Boring, Director, Michigan Department of Rural Agriculture and Development
• Scott Bowen, director, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

The governor, Messer Jr., and Tomic-Bobas met with David Lammy, secretary of state foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, as well as UK Consul General Richard Hyde

Whitmer attended a briefing by the National Security Agency, visited the Royal Automobile Club, and met with Holtec International.

In Dublin, the delegation visited the Manufacturing Technical Centre, the Cosy Club, and the Midlands Aerospace Alliance. It stayed at the Shelbourne Autograph Collection and ate at the Saddle Room.

Members of the group visited the Glen Dimplex R&D Center, the Taoiseach Offices, and the Guinness Brewery.

Whitmer visited the IDA Ireland Headquarters, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment, Pog Clontarf, Perrigo and The Celt.

The trip’s purpose was “To build partnerships with new government entities in the United Kingdom and Ireland; to educate entities on Michigan as the top place to do business in the US; advocate for increased investment opportunities and conduct retention visits with existing companies in market who are long-time investors in the state,” according to a document CapCon received.

Private donations funded the trip, according to Otie McKinley, media and communications manager at the MEDC.

“International travel missions are a critical component in our Make it in Michigan economic development strategy, McKinley told CapCon in an email. “Building relationships with international companies keeps Michigan top of mind as an ideal place for companies to do business as they look to the United States for potential investment opportunities.”

This year, Whitmer has traveled to Spain ($69,000) and the United Arab Emirates ($175,000).

Previously, Whitmer spent $141,597 on a 2024 trip to Taiwan and $285,000 on a 2023 trip to Japan.

Whitmer can’t run for Michigan governor again because of term limits.